Combating Invasive Alien Plants Threatening The East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania (project number: 162/13/033)

Annex 1: part 1 Invasive Plants in Tropical Forest Ecosystems

Workshop 2006 report

Summary

The workshop on invasive plants in tropical forest ecosystems was jointly organised by the Tropical Biology Association, the Center for Ecology and Hydrology and Amani Nature Reserve in conjunction with Sokoine University, Forest and Bee keeping Division and the Tanzania Forest Research Institute. It was part of a Darwin Initiative funded project called combating alien invasive plants threatening the East Usambaras, Tanzania.

The target group was plant ecologists and conservation scientists whose work is relevant to the management of alien invasive plant species. The overall goal of the workshop was to build expertise in the ecology of invasive plant species and to equip participants with field methods in surveying and monitoring them.

Specifically, the workshop aimed to: teach practical skills in ecological surveys & monitoring, provide guidance in the use of GPS and mapping techniques, instruct attendees in the use of software for the analysis and display of species distribution

data, boost attendees’ understanding of invasive plant species ecology and management build institutional capacity as new skills are transferred after the workshop. catalyse links between forest biologists nationally and internationally.

Thirty seven applications from 12 institutions were received, including the following countries: Benin, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana. 15 Tanzanian trainees were selected (10 males and 5 females) from 8 institutions. Only 47% of the participants had worked on alien plants before the workshop.

Trainers came from established research and academic institutions in Tanzania and the UK. Teaching on the workshop was interactive, ranging from lectures to field practicals to case studies, to class discussions. The teaching on the workshop was rated excellent by 100% of the trainees who also commented that it was well organised. A summary of all the trainee feedback is attached in Appendix 2.

One outcome of the workshop was the suggestion for a follow-up workshop on management and control of invasive plant species. This will be addressed in 2007.

List of Workshop trainees

Participant Gender Institution Work position

Chelestino Balama M Tanzania Forest Research Institute Research Officer

Ezekiel Edward M Sokoine University of Agriculture MSc Student

Martina Hagwet Boay F Collage African Wildlife ManagementMweka Assistant Lecturer

Zakia Hassan F Tanzania Forest Research Institute Research Officer

Jasson John M Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania Birdlife Officer

Hamza Khalid Kija M Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute Research Scientist

Raymond Killenga M Sokoine University of Agriculture Assistant regional Manager

Wilfred Njama Marealle M Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute Research Assistant II Mathew Mpanda M Forest and Beekeeping Division Research and Training

Officer Simon Mosha M Tanzania Forest Conservation Group Senior Project Officer

Esther F. Mvungi F University of Dar es Salaam Assistant Lecturer

Christina M. Ngalawa F Sokoine University of Agriculture Research Assistant

Nancy Eliad Pima F Tanzania Forest Research Institute Forest Research Officer

John Richard M Sokoine University of Agriculture/TAFORI Forest Research Officer

Ahmed Mndolwa M Tanzania Forest Research Institute Forest Research Officer

Trainees downloading GPS data from Clidemia hirta transect mapping

List of teachers and resource people

Name Institute Nationality Mr Corodius Sawe Amani Nature Reserve Tanzania Prof Seif Madoffe Sokoine University of Agriculture Tanzania Mr Ahmed Mndolwa Tanzania Forestry Research Institute Tanzania Prof Pantaleo Munishi Sokoine University of Agriculture Tanzania Dr Phil Hulme Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK UK Dr Rosie Trevelyan Tropical Biology Association Cambridge UK Mr Mark Otieno Tropical Biology Association Nairobi Kenya Mr Wayne Dawson Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK UK

Trainees receiving field instructions Comparing methods of measuring population densities

Invasive plants in tropical forest ecosystemsTraining Workshop Programme

Monday June 12th

16:00 Participants arrive 17:00 Introduction to the course. (RT) 17:15 Invasive Plants in the Tropics: a global problem (PH) 18:30 Finish 19:15 Welcome (CS) Dinner and Introductions

Tuesday June 13th

07:00 Breakfast 08:30 Introduction to Mapping & GPS (PH) 10:15 Coffee/tea 11:00 Field exercise using GPS 13:00 Lunch 14:00 downloading data and creating simple maps 17:00 Finish 19:00 Dinner 19:45 Lecture: Status of invasive Cedrela mexicana in Kimboza FR (SM)

Wednesday June 14th

07:00 Breakfast 08:30 Field survey techniques and sampling (PH) 10:00 Coffee 10:30 Field Exercise: Comparing survey methods 13:00 Lunch 14:00 Results of Field Exercise: Analysis and comparisons 15:15 Group photo 15:30 Tea 16:00 Lecture: Case study of invasive species: Prosopis Invasion (PH) 17:00 Finish 19:45 Lecture: Forest invasive species network in Africa: activities & future prospects (SM)

Thursday 15th

07:00 Breakfast 08:30 Field Trip to Amani Botanical Garden: diversity and extent of alien species 13:00 Lunch 14:00 Introduction to Transect Mapping 14:30 Transect mapping of alien species: Clidemia hirta 17:00 Finish 19:45 Lecture: Mapping Clidemia in Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Sri Lanka (PH)

Friday June 16th

07:00 Breakfast 08:30 Analysis and Presentation of Results of Transect Mapping 10:30 Coffee 11:00 Discussion seminar: Applying new knowledge to your ecological problems (attendees) 13:00 Lunch & Depart

field exercise on invasive plants in Amani

Appendices

Appendix 1: Discussion seminar, 16th June

Question 1 To what extent are invasive species a priority in your organisation relative to other activities. (judge by level of funding, number of projects, etc.)

Most organisations have placed invasive alien species as low priority. However, TAFORI and FBD are placing invasive species as high priority now. TAWIRI are currently proposing to include invasive species in their next five year action plan. Other organisations felt that invasive species are still given low priority and only addressed on an ad hoc basis through individual’s projects.

Question 2 What invasive alien species do you think pose the greatest threat to the forest reserves/national parks that your organisation is involved with

Maesopsis eminiiCedrela odorataLantana camaraAcacia mearnsii Opuntia (Serengeti)PhyllostachysSenna spectabilis (Mahale)Senna siameaCastilla elasticaPalms (Ngorongoro)Melicia azaderataPistia (Mikumi)Eichornia crassipesEucalyptus

Question 3 What do you think are the main challenges to your institution for monitoring and managing invasive plant species in Tanzania.

Lack of skills and knowledge Lack of financial resources Invasives not a priority for many institutions Lack of awareness among stakeholders Poor dissemination of research results and information to decision makers,

ministries, and managers. Lack of database on invasive alien species in Tanzania Socioeconomic issues: nonnatives are seen as the only way to meet wood fuel

demands Bureaucracy Politics and development: treeplanting campaigns promote planting of aliens Lack of collaboration between institutions

Question 4. What would you like to do to put your new ideas and skills into practise after this workshop Participants said they would like to use their new commitment and awareness to:

transfer their new knowledge to others to build capacity in their institutions include issues of invasive species in teaching activities integrate invasive species into business or action plans develop research proposals to address issues of invasive species carry out awareness-raising activities through workshops, newsletters, journal

articles produce information for local people on how to mitigate threats from their

agroforestry or plantation activities

Open Discussion Should all invasive species be seen as threatening?

No, they need to be understood and managed appropriately. The costs and benefits to biodiversity should be assessed (especially if they are in

a biodiversity hotspot). For example, some alien species are beneficial since they provide food (Maesopsis and Clidemia fruits are eaten by birds, etc) yet at the same time may be detrimental. To bee beekeepers, Lantana camara is good for honey production.

Researchers and managers often have different perspectives and researchers do not always disseminate their results to the people on the ground nor take community needs into account

Appendix 2: Workshop Participant feedback assessments

Question Response options Response tallies %respondents a) What stage are you in your career?

Attained BSc 7 47 Doing MSc 3 20 Attained MSc 5 33

b) How much had you used a GPS before the workshop? 1. not at all 3 20 2. a little 4 27 3.a moderate amount 8 53 4. a lot 0 0

Projects that GPS has been used: Mapping bee diversity in Tanzania Field work at BSc studies Forest timber species survey Distribution of Coffea species along Eastern arc mountains Bird monitoring in the Eastern arc mountains Allanblanchia stulhmanii harvesting programme survey Drylalnd forest survey Animal census in Serengeti National Park

c) How much have you worked on alien plant species 1. not at all 8 53 2. a little 6 40 3.a moderate amount 1 7 4. a lot 0 0

Projects that trainees have undertaken alien species research: The impact of alien plants on avifauna diversity, community structure, breeding

preferences in East Usambaras. Bioidiversity survey in Amani Nature Reserve with Frontier Tanzania. Survey of status and spread of Acacia meansii in Miombo woodlands: A case of

Tabora region. Assessing impact of Maesopsis eminii on fruiting and dispersal of fungi. TBA project on Lantana camara in Kibale Forest Uganda.

d) Where did you hear about the Darwin workshop? 1. Advert 2 13 2. TBA website 6 40 3. Email 7 47 4. Friend/colleague 0 0 5. Other 0 0

e) How did rate the teaching on the workshop? 1 Very poor 0 0 2 Poor 0 0 3 Average 0 0 4 Good 0 0 5 Excellent 15 100

f) How did you find the balance between lectures and field exercises? 1. Too many lectures 0 0 2. About right 15 100 3. Too many field exercises 0 0

g) How did you rate the workshop overall? 1. Very poor 0 0 2. Poor 0 0 3. Average 0 0 4. Good 1 7 5. Excellent 14 93

f) Would this workshop have been useful to others in your institution?

1. not useful 0 0 2. somewhat useful 0 0 3. useful 3 20 4. very useful 12 80

i) comments on the workshop: Participants were very interactive. Well organised workshop (n=15). I have been inspired to do my MSc on invasive plants. Need feedback from organisers on reports and recommendation made by

participants Worth adopting such a well organised workshop for conducting similar workshops

in the future Need more field practicals in the workshop (n=2) Knowledge gained will be useful to my institution Time was very short! Probably 10 days instead of 5 will be enough to practice what

is taught Invite more other related institutions that do research on conservation Time should be extended to 1 month

Number of participants should be increased. GPS, computer and others should be given per participant The workshop had well balanced gender and institutional distribution. Selection of lecturers was based on experience relevant to the workshop.

←← j) How will you use the knowledge and skills gained from the workshop afterwards?

To study the impacts of exotic species (n=3) Share the knowledge with colleagues and students (n=10) Propose the issue of invasive plants to be given higher priority in my institution

(n=3) Disseminate the information and knowledge attained to my institution and other

institutions (n=8) Write proposals on alien species and carry out researches in areas facing these

problems (n=4). Contribute to discussions on invasive species. Use knowledge to input to my MSc data analysis (n=2) Write leaflets and articles in dailies to create awareness on invasive species

impacts. Encourage the establishment of networks that deal with research, information on

invasive alien species in Tanzania. Publish invasive species work in peer reviewed journals

←← k) Would you like to participate in similar workshops in future and if so on what topics?

Management, monitoring and control of alien species (n=11) Detailed survey of invasive plants techniques (n=2) More GPS use on resource assessment and mapping (n=3) Data analysis and statistical interpretation (n=7) To share my knew knowledge and experiences of what I learned in the next

workshop Methods of disseminating information to stakeholders Case studies of invasive species with higher economical benefits than

conservation. Detailed GIS program application and analysis of invasive species (n=3)

←

Recommendation A general consensus from the workshop was to have another workshop on

management and control of alien species.

Learning how to use GIS Field Exercise on monitoring techniques